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Housing Resource Guide

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Many individuals reach out to The Kelsey for support navigating housing issues, individual housing searches, or other supports. We don’t provide 1:1 housing counseling but have compiled the below resources which we hope serve as a resource for you and others.

To sign up to be notified when our projects begin leasing click here for The Kelsey Ayer Station (San Jose) and here for The Kelsey Civic Center (San Francisco).

General Legal Support

  • If you are experiencing problems in any of these areas: community living, criminal justice, education, employment, residential facilities, vocational rehabilitation, and voting, you may seek legal assistance through the National Disability Rights Network, a nonprofit membership organization for the federally mandated Protection and Advocacy (P&A) Systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAP). You may find your local protection and advocacy agency here. 
  • If you are seeking support with disability rights and litigation, the Disability Rights Legal Center, a 501C-3 non-profit, public interest advocacy organization, works to eliminate discrimination, overcome legal barriers, and champion victories in individual and class action court cases. More information can be found here.  
  • If you are interested in legal assistance for disability worker’s rights, Legal Aid at Work, a nonprofit legal services organization that has been assisting low-income, working families for more than 100 years, provides free legal services. Legal Aid at Work advances and strengthens worker’s rights through free clinics and helplines, free legal info, litigation, and policy advocacy. Find more resources here.

Tenant Protections

  • Under the Fair Housing Act, direct providers of housing, including but not limited to: banks, homeowners insurance companies, landlords, lending institutions, municipalities, and real estate companies cannot discriminate against tenants with disabilities. 
  • Landlords have the responsibility to provide reasonable accommodation for tenants under the Fair Housing Act. For direct support on requesting reasonable accommodations for your housing: 
  • If you are facing housing discrimination or need additional support with tenant protections, you may contact the National Housing Law Project, a national nonprofit housing and legal advocacy center in San Francisco that advances housing justice for lower-income families. Some of their services include advocacy and litigation, technical assistance and resources, presentations and training, and initiatives. To learn more about the National Housing Law Project, visit this site.
  • You can also find your state and local fair housing organization and/or agency, here. 
  • Know your housing rights during the COVID19 video & resources 
  • Have questions about the status of eviction protections related to COVID19 in your area. Check out this eviction moratorium map. 

Making Your Housing More Physically Accessible

  • There are many ways to make your housing more accessible so that tasks can be easier, your housing can better support your independent living. Check out the National Directory of Home Modification and Repair Resources to discover what is near you. 
  • However, If you are interested in making your home more physically accessible, there are grants available for disability accomodation in the home. There are 16 Grants for Home Modification: 16 Resources for Homeowners with Disabilities listed, containing links to government, local, and nonprofit grants that offer financial assistance to cover part or all of your expenses with home modifications. 
  • There are also centers for independent living across the country that often support people with disabilities to make their housing more accessible. Find and contact your local independent living center here.

Moreover, if you are interested in home modifications for seniors living with disabilities, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) offers a free 36-page HomeFit Guide, which can be found here that offers guidelines for design and modifications that make a home more accessible.

Section 8 Help

  • Section 8 of the Housing Act of 1937, financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides rent subsidies in the form of housing on behalf of low-income households in the United States. 
  • Am I eligible for Section 8 Housing? How do I apply for Section 8 Housing?
    • Public Housing Authorities, which are government bodies that govern aspects of housing or provide rent assistance to low-income individuals, determine if a U.S. citizen is eligible for housing assistance based on total annual gross income and family size. The PHA serving your community can provide you with the income limits for your area and family size. 
    • In order to apply for housing assistance under Section 8, you would need to contact your local Public Housing Authority (PHA) here. 

Additional Housing Articles and Peer Resources

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